Loom with weft replenishing means and control therefor



Nov. 1, 1960 w. E, K'MMEL 2,958,342

LOOM WITH WEF'T REPLENISHING MEANS AND CONTROL THEREFOR Filed Nov. 4. 1958 FIGI 29' 0? l6 III "1 "I w' I! I ""a i}, IM WW l5 7 mf T P4 5 M1 {hkm INVENTOR WILLIAM E. KIMMEL ATTORNEY LGGM WITH WEFT REPLENISHING MEANS AND CONTROL THEREFOR William E. Kimmel, Millbury, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Corporation, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Nov. 4, 1958, 'Ser. No. 771,836

8 Claims. (Cl. 139-232) This invention relates to weft replenishing looms and more particularly relates to improvements in mechanisms to control the setting of a bobbin reserve magazine during certain picks of a four-pick sequence cycle of loom operation, and it is the general object of the invention to prevent setting of the magazine for a bobbin transferring operation during certain of the picks in the four-pick sequence.

Certain types of looms that have gone into extensive use are the so-called weft replenishing pick and pick filling-mixing looms having .a shifting shuttle box at the magazine or replenishing side of the loom. This box usually comprises two shuttle cells which rise and fall in the four-pick sequence inwhich the upper cell is in inactive position with respect to the lay for the first two picks of the sequence and in active position with respect to the lay for the last two picks of the sequence. A weft detector is provided for the loom and rises and falls simultaneously with the shifting of the shuttle box. Indication of weft exhaustion occurs on the first pick followed by weft replenishing on the second pick while the upper cell is in high or transfer position for cooperation with the magazine to effect a bobbin transferring operation. The loom is also provided with the usual weft detector cam which permits indication of weft exhaustion on the first and third picks to initiate release of a reservebobbin subsequently followed by setting of the magazine. However, on the third pick the box is shifting downwardly from transfer position and any attempt made to transfer a bobbin at that time would result in a smash between the bobbin and the transferring mechanism, causing damage to the bobbin and the loom parts involved in the transferring operation. It is therefore an important object of this invention to prevent the smash by preventing setting of the magazine when the shuttle box is shifting downwardly by providing the loom with control means operated by the rise and fall of the weft detector and located between the latter and the mechanism which sets the magazine.

It is another object of the invention to operatively connect the control means with an idle motion connection to the detector in which the means is stationary during the first half of the upward shift of the shuttle box on the first pick but movable upwardly thereafter with the weft detector to high position, the idle motion thus permitting the detector to have a detection operation after the shuttle box is half shifted upwardly.

Another object of the invention is to provide actuating means for the control means and movable vertically with the detector and between the latter and the control means, the actuator means and a slot in the control means constituting the idle motion connection.

Still another object of the invention is to utilize the idle motion connection when the shuttle box is shifting downwardly to maintain the control means in time relationship with the detector cam in order to be able to prevent indication of weft exhaustion and subsequent setting of the magazine at improper times.

2,958,342 Patented Nov. 1, 1960 A further object of the invention is to provide means capable of holding the control means in high position during the first half of the down shift of the shuttle box when the actuator means is having an idle motion downwardly but thereafter capable of permitting down motion of the control means by the actuator as the latter and shuttle box continue their down motion.

Still a further object of the invention is to prevent actuation of the usual mechanism that initiates bobbin release and sets the magazine whenever the control means is rising or falling or is in high position by providing the control means with cam surfaces operatively connected to a secondary actuator means having operative connections to said mechanism to permit or prevent actuation of said mechanism depending upon the position of the cam surfaces with respect to the secondary actuator means.

A further object of the invention is to mount the control, the actuator and the secondary actuator means independently of each other but operatively connected to each other in a manner for movement with each other and also with respect to each other.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood reference is made to the accompanying dnawings which illustrate by way of example the embodiments of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of part of the right end of the loom having the invention applied thereto and showing the magazine and controls therefor,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of a Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2, with the shuttle box and weft detector in down position,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the control means, certain of the parts being in section and certain of the parts being broken away,

Figs. 5-7 are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation of the invention, and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing part of the mechanism that sets the magazine for a bobbin transferring operation.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a loom frame 1 supports a reciprocating lay 2 having a race plate 3 over which the shuttles are picked during loom operation. Projecting from the right end of lay 2, a layend 4 guidingly supports for vertical movement thereon a shuttle box generally indicated at GR having upper and lower shuttle cells 5 and 6 respectively. Each of these cells are capable when in alignment with the shuttle race of receiving therein or ejecting therefrom shuttles used in the operation of the loom. Shuttle box GR is raised and lowered by a box lifter rod 7 which is controlled by mechanism, not shown but well understood in the art. This mechanism moves the boxes upwardly at the beginning of the usual four-pick sequence in which cell 5 is in high or inactive position for the first two picks, after which box GR moves downwardly on the third pick of the sequence to hold cell 5 active, i.e. in alignment with race plate 3, for the last two picks of the sequence. The type of loom employed herein usually operates with a group of shuttles, two of which are shown in Fig. 3 and designated by the numerals 8 and 9. During loom operation, while cell 5 is inactive, cell 6 will be in active position to receive into or pick therefrom one of shuttles in the group, and conversely when cell 6 is in inactive or low position, cell 5 will be in active position to receive or pick a shuttle.

Loom frame 1 also supports a magazine M as at 11 which mounts a horizontal shaft 12 which in turn fixedly supports and has depending therefrom a bracket 13 for the weft detector to be described hereinafter. Bracket 13 also supports mechanism generally indicated at P to be described and is adjustably held fixed to shaft 12 by a pair of set screws 14. Bracket 13 also mounts a guide 15, see Fig. 3, for a vertical stem 16 which supports a weft detector generally indicated at D. Stem 16 is connected .to the lower end (not shown) of lifter rod 7 by a connecting rod 17 which moves vertically with rod 7 while the latter raises and effects lowering of box GR during loom operation.

The weft detector D comprises a feeler finger 18, see Fig. 3, pivoted as at 19 to a slide 26 mounted for back and forth movement on stem 16. Finger 18 is always in register with top cell and is adapted for cooperation with the bobbin of whatever shuttle is in the top cell 5. Detector D is of the usual side slipping type and when tip 22 of finger 18 engages weft on a bobbin, tip 22 will be held with respect thereto, and as the lay advances the bobbin will move finger 13 forwardly to effect movement of slide 29 also forwardly. If tip 22 engages a bobbin without weft, it will slip sideways along the bobbin and slide 26 will remain stationary or in rear position. Slide 20 is supported in its sliding movement by a horizontal support 23 forming part of the detector and having a depending lug 24 held fast to the upper part of stem 16 by a bolt 25. A rod 26 to be fully described hereinafter forms part of the present invention and is clamped between lug 24 and the head of bolt 25 and has a forwardly extending part 27 for cooperation with the mechanism P yet to be described.

Bracket 13 supports a rock shaft 28 thereon, the left end of which mounts an upright arm 29 and the right end of which mounts a secondary actuator 31 for cooperation with mechanism P. The usual chopper pin 32 is pivoted to the upper part of arm 29 and extends rearwardly through a horn 33 fixed with respect to bracket 13. A spring 34 on shaft 23 urges pin 32 normally rearwardly or to right as viewed in Fig. 3.

A. lever 35 is pivoted as at 36 to a small stand 37 fixed to bracket 13 by bolt 38. Lever 35 extends upwardly to have contact with the front face of slide 26} when the latter is in either raised or lowered position. Lever 35 is between slide 2% and a short lever 39 fixed to shaft 28. The upper part of lever 3? is in engagement with lever 35, and when slide 2i? moves forwardly as described above it rocks lever 35 which translates its movement to lever 39 forwardly or to the left as viewed in Fig. 3 whereupon shaft 23 is given an angular motion to tighten spring 34 and move the pin 32 forwardly out of the path of a chopper lever 41. Subsequently, spring 34 will react to turn shaft 28 clockwise, Fig. 3, to operate arm 29 and lever 39 to return pin 32 and slide 20 respectively to their normal rear positions. Upon detection of weft exhaustion, finger 18 will slip laterally and slide 20 and pin 32 will remain in rear position with pin 32 under chopper lever 41. It will be noted that rocking of shaft 28 clockwise also eifects rocking of secondary actuator 31 for a purpose to be described.

Referring to Figs. l and 3, chopper lever 41 is mounted on the upper end of a block 42 which is guided for vertical motion in a slide bearing 43 fixed with respect to bracket 13. The upper end of a rod 44 is attached to the lower end of block 43 and the lower end of rod 44 is connected to a cam lever 45 pivoted as at 46, see Fig. 8. Cam lever 45 is under control of a cam 47 on bottom shaft 48 and the cam completes a rotation every other pick of the loom and is so made to tend to cause a normal free downward motion of chopper lever 41 on the first and third picks of the four-pick sequence when the ray is at its extreme forward position or front center while box GR is rising on the first pick and falling on the third pick. During the first pick and if weft exhaustion is indicated, lever 41 will be interrupted in its normal free downward motion by pin 32 to initiate release of a bob- .bin from the magazine to the giveways, one of which is shown at 49 in Fig. 1 after which cam 47 will cause a reverse motion of lever 41 to effect completion of the release of the bobbin to the giveways. A dwell 53 on cam 47 holds lever 41 and block 42 stationary during the second pick of the four-pick sequence. The fall and rise of lever 41 is under control of decline 51 and incline 52 respectively after which dwell 53 operates as described above. Operation of lever 41 to initiate bobbin release will be prevented on the third pick for reasons described hereinafter.

The left end of lever 41, see Fig. 1, is connected to the lower end of a rod 54, the upper end of which is attached to the usual bobbin selector 55 mounted for rocking movement on a rod 56 slidable forwardly and backwardly on the magazine M. The usual bobbin release mechanism, part of which is shown at 57, Fig. 1, is actuated to initiate bobbin release when rod 54 is depressed because of the interruption of the normal free down motion of lever 41 by pin 32 when the detector indicates weft exhaustion. Upward motion of rod 54 by reason of incline 52 completes release of a bobbin from the magazine to the giveways 49. When the release mechanism 57 operates to release a bobbin, it will rock the usual horizontal shaft 58 clockwise to effect raising of transferrer latch 59 via arm 61 and connecting rod 62 to a horizontal position to be engaged by a hunter (not shown, but well understood) on the lay 2 when the latter advances on a transferring beat of the loom in which cell 5 is in its high position. The bunter will move latch 59 forwardly to effect depression of a transferrer arm 63 to transfer a bobbin from the giveways 49 to a shuttle in the top cell 5 when the latter is in raised position and on the second pick of the four-pick sequence. Release of a bobbin and raising of latch 5% constitute setting the magazine for a bobbin transferring operation.

Shaft 28, pin 32, lever 41, cam 47, bobbin selector 55, shaft 58 and their connecting parts as described above may be considered as setting mechanism for the magazine.

Except for mechanism P, actuator 26, secondary actuator 31, and the manner in which setting of the magazine is prevented, the matter thus far described is of usual construction and operates in well known manner. It is deemed sufficient to state here that when finger 18 slips laterally to indicate weft exhaustion on the first pick of the four-pick sequence, and while box GR is rising, chopper lever 41 will tend to move downwardly but will be interrupted by pin 32 to initiate bobbin .re-

lease after which it will move upwardly to effect complete release and raising of latch 59 for a bobbin transferring operation as described hereinbefore. The box GR operates in the usual manner, i.e., it will be up for two picks and then down for two picks while the lay reciprocates during each pick or beat of the loom. Weft indication occurs on the first pick when cells 5 and 6 are rising and the lay is at front center position, and transfer occurs on the second pick when cell 5 is in its highest position and cell 6 is in active position with respect to the lay. Because cam 53 operates on a 2-pick cycle, it will attempt to effect lowering of chopper lever 41 every other pick of the loom to set the magazine for a transferring operation, a condition not conducive for transferring since, during certain of the picks of the four-pick cycle, thebox GR will be moving downwardly or be in down position away from high or transferring position, and it is during these certain picks that lever 41 must be prevented from setting the magazine and latch 59 for a bobbin transferring operation to avoid the aforedescribed smash. The mechanism to prevent improper indication and setting of the magazine will now be described.

In carrying the invention into effect, bracket 13 has upper and lower cross bars 63 and 64 respectively Socured thereto by screws 65 and 66 respectively, see Figs. 1 and 2. The left end of cross bar 63 mounts a screw 67 and a washer 68 while the left end of cross bar 64 mounts a similar screw 69 and washer 70. Washers 68 and 70 are spaced forwardly of the front surfaces of cross bars 63 and 64 respectively to receive therebetween for vertical sliding movement a control member 72, the upper and lower ends of which have slots 73 and 74 respectively through which screws 67 and 69 respectively pass. Control member 72 is provided with a slot 75 intermediate slots 73 and 74 to receive the forward end of rod 26, the latter being secured to stem 16 to rise and fall therewith simultaneously with weft detector D. A cam plate generally indicated at 76 is fixed as by screw 77 to control member 72 and has low surface 78, an incline 79 and a high surface 81 for engagement with a roll 82 on the secondary actuator 31. Roll 82 is held against surfaces 78 and 81 and incline 79 by the spring 34 which is also capable of holding member 72 in high position when thus raised. Member 72 and cam 76 may be considered as control means for pin 32 and the setting mechanism while rod 26 may be considered as actuator means to actuate the control means. Member 72 and cam 76 are mounted independently of the detector D and vertical motion of the latter acts on cam 76 via rod 26 and slot 75 in member 72 such that detector D first has a relative motion with respect to the member 72 and cam 76 and thereafter, due to its vertical motion, effects raising or lowering of cam 76 depending upon which direction the detector is moving.

During loom operation lay 2 will swing backwardly from its front center position through so-called top center position to back center position, thence forwardly through bottom center position to front center again. A shuttle will be picked and in flight while the lay is moving from top to bottom positions whereafter shifting of box GR, either upwardly or downwardly, can occur while the lay is moving between bottom and top center positions. In the event the cells are rising, they will be approximately shifted half-way to high position at which time detection of weft will take place. If there is suflicient weft on a bobbin, tip 22 will be moved forwardly as is usual to cause slide 20 via finger 18 to also move forwardly, the effect of which is to rock lever 35 and lever 39 forwardly to give shaft 28 an angular motion whereby arm 29 has a corresponding movement and to move pin 32 away from chopper lever 41 so that the latter can have a normal free down motion, thus preventing setting of the magazine for a bobbin transfer operation.

If the bobbin is depleted of weft, tip 22 will slip laterally and slide 20 and pin 32 will remain stationary to interrupt the normal free down motion of lever 41 whereupon release of a bobbin from the magazine will be inititiated followed thereafter by setting of the magazine for a bobbin transfer operation as described hereinbefore.

During rising of the box GR on the first pick of the four-pick sequence, rod 26 will move from the bottom of slot 25, Fig. 3, upwardly to the top of the slot during the time it takes to shift the box GR half-way up. This movement is an idle one to permit weft detection and has no effect on member 72. After rod 26 has reached the top of slot 75, Fig. 5, stem 16 and detector D will continue to rise with the box GR to lift rod 26 to high position to place member 72 in its high position. As member 72 rises, roll 82 will move from surface 78, up incline 79 to high surface 81, see Fig. 6, to effect movement of pin 32 away from lever 41. Member 72 will be raised to high position on said first pick when box GR rises whether an indication of weft exhaustion is given or whether there is suflicient weft on the bobbin to prevent indication. In the latter case, arm 29 and actuator 31 will be rocked forwardly but member 72will remain in up position due to the position of rod 26.

On the second pick, box GR will be in high position as will be member 72 with roll 82 on high surface 81 and pin 32 forward of lever 41. At front center position on the second pick a bobbin will be transferred into the shuttle in top cell 5 after which the lay 2 will move rearwardly.

On the third pick when the lay is moving between bottom and top center position, the box GR will be shifting downwardly and be half-way down at front center at which time roll 82 will still be on high surface 82 and rod 26 will be in the bottom of slot 75, see Fig. 7, the rod having an idle down motion because of slot 75 during the first half of the downshift of box GR. At this time spring 34 exerts a force through roll 31 to mmeber 72 and is sufficiently strong to maintain the latter in high position. Thus, by maintaining member 72 in high position at front center, pin 32 will be forward of lever 41 and although the detector goes through the motion of indicating weft exhaustion, setting of the magazine cannot occur since lever 41, at this time, cannot be interrupted by pin 32 and it will have a normal free down motion as described before. As cells 5 and 6 continue to shift downwardly, lay 2 will be moving backwardly and [Kid 26 will move lever 72 down to its low position as in Figs. 3 and 5 and roll 82 will move down the incline 79 to low surface 78 to place pin 32 under lever 41.

On the fourth pick of the four-pick sequence cell 5 will be in active position and the newly replenished shuttle will be picked and in flight between top and bottom center positions. When the lay reaches front center, slide 20 will not be moved forwardly to move pin 32 away from lever 41 because of the fact that cell 5 is empty. However, this is not detrimental and setting of the magazine will not occur because at this time cam lever 45 will :be idle, as will lever 41, due to the fact that earn 47 will be in its dwell period. Since the boxes shift on twopick time and cam 47 is also on two-pick time, indication of weft exhaustion can only be given on the first and third picks of the four-pick cycle. But since the boxes are moving downwardly away from transfer position on the third pick, indication must be prevented on that pick to avoid damage to the loom which would occur if indication of weft exhaustion were allowed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that simple means have been provided to prevent indication of weft exhaustion at a time not conducive to a transferring operation and that the means is capable of controlling setting of the magazine on certain picks of the four-pick sequence. Also, it will be noted that the means moves in periods of timed relationship with the detector cam such that when the latter is capable of initiating setting of the magazine on certain picks when box GR is moving downwardly and is not in transfer position, this setting will be prevented by said means. Moreover, the means is controlled by the rise and fall of the detector and is provided with an idle motion connection with respect to the detector to maintain this relationship. It will be noted that an indication of weft exhaustion is prevented on any pick in which member 72 is in high position and on any pick in which box GR is moving downwardly. Further, simple means have been provided to hold member 72 in high position when rod 26 is having its idle down motion with the result that indication of weft exhaustion is prevented when box GR is shifting downwardly on the third pick of the four-pick sequence.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom having a magazine and mechanism for setting the magazine for a bobbin transferring operation, the loom having a lay and operating with a vertically shifting shuttle box thereon which moves upwardly and remains in high position during the first two picks of a four-pick sequence and shifts downwardly and remains in low position for the last two picks of said sequence, a weft detector movable vertically with said box and capable of preventing said mechanism from setting said magazine for said operation when said box shifts downwardly, actuator means movable vertically when said detector thus moves, secondary actuator means between said mechanism and said first actuator means movable to prevent initiating the release of a bobbin from the magazine, control means shiftable vertically between said actuators to transmit motion from said first actuator means to said secondary actuator means to prevent release of a bobbin from the magazine and subsequent set-tingthereof, and means operative to maintain said secondary actuator means in operative conneotion with said control means.

2. The loom set forth in claim 1 wherein said first actuator means is a rod mounted on said detector between the latter and said control means and operatively connected thereto tomove the latter vertically.

3. The loom set forth in claim .1 wherein the secondary actuator means is a lever having a roll thereon for engagement with said control means and maintained in operative connection therewith by said operative means.

4. The loom set forth in claim 1 wherein said control means includes a vertically shifting member and a cam thereon forcooperation with said secondary actuator means.

5. The loom set forth in claim 1 wherein said control means has a slot to receive the forward end of said first actuator means to provide an idle motion during certain periods when said box is shifting.

6, The loom set forth in claim 1 wherein said last named means is a spring of sufficient strength capable of maintaining said control means in high position during part of the down vertical movement of said first actuator means but incapable of preventing down motion of said control member thereafter.

7. In a weft replenishing loom having a magazine, setting mechanism for said magazine, a reciprocating lay, vertically shifting shuttle cells on two-pick time which shift when the lay is moving between bottom and top center positions and a detector cam on two-pick time, a weft detector shifting in unison with said cells and capable of indicating weft exhaustion when the cells are half shifted upwardly provided a bobbin is deplete of weft and capable of preventing the setting mechanism from settingthe magazine for a bobbin transferring operation when the cells are shifting downwardly, movable cam means mounted independently ofsaid detector and verticaily shiftable to a high and a low position by said detector when the latter rises and falls during shifting thereof, and a rod and slot connection between said movable cam means and said detector to provide relative motion therebetween whereby said movable cam means remains stationary with respect to said detector during the first half of the upward and downward shift of said detector after which the latter operates through said connection to move said movable cam means to said high or low position depending on which direction the detector is moving.

8. In a weft detector mechanism for a loom having a magazine capable of being set for a bobbin transferring operation and a vertical shifting shuttle cell with which said mechanism moves in unison, said detector capable of also moving forwardly and rearwardly during said shifting, a pair ofactuating means on a common mount between said detector and said magazine, both of said means capable of moving fonwardly together, one of said means being movableforwardly by said detector when the latter moves forwardly and capable of transmitting its motion through the common mount to the other means, the other of said means-being moved forwardly by the detector when the latter moves vertically and also capable of transmitting its motion through the common mount to said one of said means, both of said means capable of preventing setting of said magazine for said transferring operation when they are moved forwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,360,529 Turner Oct. 17, 1944 2,391,370 Wakefield Dec. 18, 1945 2,777,473 Litchfield Jan. 15, 1957 2,777,474 Litchfield Ian. 15, 1957 

